• 

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja charged ministers-designate, who would be sworn in today, to give their best in their service to the country.

Buhari, in his closing remarks at the end of a two-day retreat organised for members of his next cabinet who will be assigned portfolios today, told them that four years was not a long time for them to think they had time on their side.

He restated the need for ministers to cooperate with one another with a view to achieving immediate results, bearing in mind that four years is a short period.

The president, who said whereas his last administration recorded some measures of success, the outcome of the retreat had only shown that there were yet significant challenges facing the country.

According to him, public service is not only tasking but could also sometimes be thankless as he challenged the would-be ministers to exploit the opportunity of their appointments to deliver on the administration’s mandate for a more prosperous country for all Nigerians.

He said: “Whilst we have obvious successes to celebrate, the challenges ahead are significant as you would have observed in detail over these two days. Nevertheless, from the quality of the deliberations, it is clear that solutions to our problems are well researched and have been well articulated.

“We have discussed solutions relating to addressing insecurity; macroeconomic stability; agriculture and food security; energy security for petroleum products and electricity; transportation and critical infrastructure; industrialisation and SME development; human capital development; social inclusion; anti-corruption; housing financing and consumer credit.

“Public service is not easy work, and at times it can be thankless. I am therefore charging you all to see this opportunity to serve as an honour, to give your best to deliver on this mandate, for a more prosperous Nigeria, not for some, but for all Nigerians.

“You will find that working collaboratively and purposefully will enable us to achieve quicker results, recognising that four years is not a very long time. For the new ministers, make sure you engage and benefit from the experience of the older ministers and former governors in the cabinet.”

Buhari also instructed them to route their requests for his attention through the Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, while all matters relating to the cabinet should be directed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha.

“In terms of coordination, kindly ensure that all submissions for my attention or meeting requests be channeled through the chief of staff while all Federal Executive Council matters be coordinated through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” he said.

While thanking organisers of the retreat and resource persons, Buhari, who reiterated that the challenges lying ahead are enormous, said he was confident in the capacities of the appointees to perform for the benefits of

“Once again, the challenges that lie ahead of us as a country are significant. But I have no doubt in your individual capacities and our collective patriotic commitment to deliver a better Nigeria for us, our children and a brighter future for all,” he added.

Mustapha on his part, called on participants to join him in the task of improving the lives of Nigerians and transforming the country through integrity, hard work, honour and spirit of excellence.

“I hope you will join me in this commitment. As public servants, we are not only expected to deliver results that improve the lives of our fellow citizens and transform our country, but also to reflect in our example what our nation stands for – hard work, honour, integrity, ingenuity and the relentless belief that in Nigeria all things are possible and that together we can accomplish extraordinary things.

“It is a spirit of excellence that we all must exemplify and by doing this we can serve as a source of renewed hope for our people,” he said

• 

Villarreal captain Santi Cazorla says Nigerian forward Samuel Chukwueze has the potential to be one of the best players in the world if he keeps on working hard particularly on certain aspect of his game.

Chukwueze Cazorla helped Chukwueze settled in the first team of the Laliga side after his promotion from the youth team before the start of last season, which happened to be the breakaway season for the 20-year-old Nigerian.

His fine form for the team earned him a spot in the Super Eagles squad where he played at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and scored in the round of 16 clash against South Africa.

He already picked up from where he left off last season with a goal in their 4-4 draw against Granada last weekend and Cazorla believe he can go on and score more goals before the end of the season.

“Samu is a very important player in the team with the way he play for the good of the team.

He can create and score goals that’s a rare quality to see in a footballer of his age but he can be the best if he keeps working hard and improving in certain areas”, Cazorla said.

Indications emerged on Wednesday that the 21 new kings installed by the administration of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi two years ago amid controversies on Sunday August 27, 2017 may lose their crowns after all.

Precisely, Senator Ajimobi in a well-attended ceremony handed instrument of office to the new kings on August , 2017 at the historic Mapo Hall , Ibadan.

The 21 kings came into limelight, following the controversial review  of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration and Other Related Chieftaincies in Ibadan land by a panel headed by  Justice Akintunde Boade to review the old laws, which culminated in the elevation and crowning of 21 kings including Olubadan High Chiefs and Baales.

A reliable source confided in The Nation on Wednesday that state Oyo state government has opted for out of court settlement, and  discontinue with the prosecution of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.

The terms of settlement between the Oyo state government (Appellant) and Senator Rashidi Ladoja (Respondent/Applicant) was filed in the Registry of the Court of Appeal, Ibadan on Tuesday August 20, 2019.

The terms of agreement which was contained in the suit No.M/317/2017 , and Appeal No. CA/99&99A/2018 reads in part

“Whereas , the parties herein are aware of the rancor and acrimony that exist upon the publication of the report of the 2nd respondent herein in relation to the Olubadan of Ibadan chieftaincy declaration and other chiefs in Ibadanland and the implementation of the said report;

Whereas, the parties are aware of the disharmony created by the publication of Gazette No. 3 Vol. 43 dated 29 March 2018 and the subsequent elevation of chiefs in Ibadan among the chiefs and the Olubadan of Ibadanland; whereas, as it is of utmost importance to maintain peace and communal relationships that had existed before the said report and Gazette in Ibadanland, whereas, the new administration of Oyo state stands upon the doctrine of rule of law “.

All the Olubadan High Chiefs, except the Osi Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja refused to accept the crown, following his disagreement with the process.

Sequel to his disagreement, Senator Ladoja and the Olubadan of Ibadanland separately dragged the former governor, the government and the 21 new kings to the Oyo State High Court.

While the court had delivered judgment in the case filed by Ladoja, it has not on the litigation instituted by Oba Adetunji.

Justice Olajumoke Aiki of an Oyo State High Court delivered the judgment on January 19, 2018, and declared that the Justice Akintunde Boade-led Judicial Commission of Enquiry that reviewed the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other Related Chieftaincies in Ibadanland as unconstitutional, illegal, null, void and of no effect.

But the administration of Ajimobi appealed the judgment, giving 11 grounds why the judgment of the lower court should be upturned, asking the higher court to set aside the ruling and judgment of the Oyo State High Court, an order that would uphold his preliminary objections raised against Senator Rashidi Ladoja, as well as an order that will dismiss the case in its entirety.

The Appeal Court judgment was however reserved,  till the All Progressives Congress-led government left power on May 2019.

It was learnt that governor Seyi Makinde intention to reconcile all parties involved in the chieftaincy crisis was to end the protracted fued , and protect the sanctity of Ibadan traditional chieftaincy system.

I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT INTERIOR MINISTRY, SAYS AREGBESOLA

THE NEWLY APPOINTED MINISTER OF INTERIOR, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, HAS SAID HE KNOWS LITTLE ABOUT THE POLICIES AND OPERATIONS OF HIS MINISTRY, ADDING THAT ALL HE KNOWS ABOUT THE MINISTRY WAS WHAT HE READ IN THE NEWSPAPERS.

He said this when he visited the ministry shortly after he was inaugurated and assigned a portfolio alongside others by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The former Osun State governor said, “I don’t really know much about the operations or policies of the ministry apart from stories about the ministry on the pages of newspapers. My relationship with the ministry is distant. What I know about the ministry is what I read in the newspapers.”

Aregbesola instructed the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Georgina Ehuriah, who had been in charge since the dissolution of the last cabinet, to continue running the ministry until Monday when he would formally take over.

“I will come to take over on Monday. I give the Permanent Secretary the grace to run the ministry till then. We will be ready by Monday to take on the huge assignment,” the minister stated.

He assured the staff of the ministry and personnel of all paramilitary agencies under the ministry of purposeful leadership while urging them to be ready for more work as he would be demanding much more from them.

He stated, “I promise you a realistic, reasonable and commendable leadership.”

Earlier in her speech, Ehuriah said the ministry needed “a focused person like you (minister)” to lead it on account of its strategicBposition in the security architecture of the country.

TropicReporters

• 

Nigerian students have taken the fifth position among the number of counterparts from the African continent studying in Germany.

According to the latest report from Study in Germany website, as of 2017/18 Winter Semester, German universities counted a number of 1,970 students from Nigeria, and the figure arrived at placed Nigerian students among the five largest group of African students currently attending university in Germany.

Low or no-tuition universities, affordable costs of living, highly ranked universities and overall attractiveness are all that make Germany one of the most popular study-abroad destinations.

Nigerian students seem also attracted to studying in Germany, it was gathered.

Also, with the latest statistics collected from the 2017/18 Winter semester, it shows that 1,970 students from Nigeria were enrolled in German universities, statistics reveal that compared to a year ago their number increased significantly by 18 per cent if compared with 1,667 students that enrolled during the 2016/17 Winter Semester.

Statistics also reveal that in terms of the chosen academic institution, 1,280 were enrolled in universities, 659 in “technical schools” (referred to as “Fachschule” in Germany) and the remaining 30 students were attending colleges of theology (theologische Hochschule).

Also, looking at the statistics with the students’ enrollment by gender, there were 1,970 male students and 439 female students.

Statistics further show that Engineering as a course is clearly the most popular degree for Nigerian students in Germany, while the statistics collected as Winter Semester 2017/18 show that 724 Nigerian students were attending Engineering degree course, and quite as expected, male students accounted for most of them totalling 638.

Close to Engineering in students enrolment, are Economics and other Social Sciences courses, while findings show that last year, 470 students from Nigeria were studying for a university degree on these subjects.

Mathematics and Natural Sciences also receive high patronate by Nigerian students, recording a total of 343 students admitted into those departments.

Reports, as gathered, showed the number of Nigerian students in Germany is increasing at a steady speed, as the country has become a major attraction in the international higher education sector in recent years and currently counts over 378,000 international students.

Thus, to a certain degree, it would be correct to expect a further increase in the coming years, reports said

Tribune

• 

THE Department of State Services (DSS) has said its investigation revealed that #RevolutionNow was a smokescreen for the actual intention of Omoyele Sowore, the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the last presidential election, and his allies “to topple the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The DSS said it was engaged in a painstaking investigation into Sowore’s activities in view of the quantum of evidence gathered.

The service said it may return to court to seek an extension of the 45 days granted it by the Federal High Court, Abuja, to detain him.

The security agency stated this in a fresh document it filed at the Federal High Court on Monday in response to an application by Sowore challenging the court’s order, granting the security agency 45 days to detain him pending investigation.

In the counter-affidavit deposed to by Godwin Agbadua, an official of the DSS, it was stated that Sowore was arrested on reasonable suspicion of having committed a capital offence, upon his alleged involvement in terrorists’ activities.

“The respondent/appllcant (Sowore) planned to violently change the government through the hashtag RevolutionNow. The respondent/appllcant hid under the cover of call for mass protest with the hashtag RevolutionNow to mislead unsuspecting and innocent members of the public into joining him to topple the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

“In his plot to topple the government the respondent/applicant held series of meetings with members at a prescribed terrorists‘ organisation, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) with a view to mobilising strong forces to realise his agenda at changing the government

“The respondent formed an alliance with a fugitive, Nnamdi Keno, a self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed terrorists group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to launch series of attacks on Nigeria with a view to violently removing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

“After series of closed-door meetings between the duo in the United States of America, they addressed a press conference wherein they both stated their resolve to form alliance against the Nigerian government, The duo stated that they have a well planned out strategy to realize their objective, which is toppling the government.

“The applicant/respondent is investigating the activities of the respondent applicant as it relates to a terrorists organisation, IPOB. The facts show a conjecture between the respondent/applicant and IPOB activities.

“There is the need for the applicant/respondent to investigate such reasonable suspicion of the relationship between the respondent/applicant and IPOB.

“The respondent held series of meetings with some foreign collaborators outside Nigeria including Dubai where millions of dollars were given to him to sponsor a widespread attack on Nigeria with a view to violently removing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and freeing Ibrahim Yaqub ElZakzaky (Shaikh).

“In furtherance to the plans to violently free Elzakzaky from lawful custody. the respondent held several meetings with a proscribed terrorists organisation. Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) where they strategized on how to carry out attacks to force the government to free Elzakzaky.

“The respondent stated in one of his videos that Shiite members, who are members of the proscribed terrorists group, IMN were going to join forces with him in bringing down the government. The statement and the meetings of the respondent/applicant raises issue of grave suspicion of supporting a proscribed terrorists’ organisation, IMN.

“The suspicions require diligent investigation by the applicant/respondent. The planned action constitutes a threat of violence to intimidate or cause panic in members of the public as a means of affecting political conduct

“The investigation is still ongoing. Upon the completion of investigation, the case file will be forwarded to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for advice and possible prosecution,” DSS said.

Also, a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday declined to order the release of Sahara Reporters Publisher Omoyele Sowore and other detainees for their participation in the August 5 #RevolutionNow protest

Vacation judge Justice Nicholas Oweibo said he needed to first hear from the Federal Government, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

He ordered the DSS and IGP to appear before him on September 4 to show why Sowore and other protesters in detention should not be immediately released.

The judge also ordered Lagos lawyer Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, who filed the ex parte application seeking the detainees’ release, to put the IGP and DSS on notice.

Ogungbeje, who said he participated in the #RevolutionNow protest but was not arrested, filed the application on behalf of himself and other participants.

The lawyer prayed the court to declare as “unconstitutional and illegal police clampdown on the protesters and the arrest of Sowore by the DSS”.

He also sought an order for the immediate and unconditional release of those arrested and detained.

Joined as respondents in the application are: the Federal Government, the DSS and the IGP.

On why the arrested persons should be immediately and unconditionally released, Ogungbeje said: “There has been a grave constitutional infraction committed by the respondents against the applicant and other persons who engaged in the peaceful protest for good governance in Nigeria.”

The lawyer said he was deprived of his constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful assembly and association and the right to freedom of expression.

“On August 3, 2019, the Convener of the protest, Mr Omoyele Sowore’s home was forcefully invaded and put under siege; he was arrested, whisked away and detained in the detention facility of the second respondent (DSS).

“Mr Sowore has not committed any offence known to law to warrant the infringement and likely infringement of rights by the respondents.

“By engaging in the peaceful protest, the applicant and other persons have not committed any offence known to law to warrant the treatment meted out to them by the respondents and their agents,” he said.

Ogungbeje urged the court to order the immediate release of those arrested and detained.

Following the attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu on Saturday by the members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, Nigerians have dug out the quote of Noble writer, Chinua Achebe.

• 

Igbere TV had reported that Senator Ekweremadu was stoned with eggs when he attended a new Yam Festival in Germany.

According to Achebe, “He who travels to eat his ancestral Yam in a
foreign country should be ready for the wrath of dike the warriors
of the 7 seas and 7 mountains.” – 1995

With this quote, many Nigerians have said Achebe predicted
Ekweremadu’s attack before he died.

Meanwhile, many Nigerians have criticised the attack on Senator

Source: IgbereTV

• 

The staff of the Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State early on Monday took to the streets to protest the non-payment of their four months salaries and leave allowances.

No fewer than 200 of the workers, locked and barricaded the gate to the council headquarters, displaying placards, some of which read, ‘We have not received our leave allowances for 2014, 2018, 2019’ and ‘NFIU should come and rescue us. Our allocation has been tampered with and our salaries not being paid by Abia govt’.

Speaking with The PUNCH during the protest, the LGA Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Nkemakolam Nwosu, said, “For four and half months, we have not been paid. Government owes us. Let them pay us. We are suffering. Our 2017, 2018, 2019 leave allowances have not been paid to us.

“We are human beings. Most of us have families and can’t afford to take care of them. The allocation has been coming from the Federal Government as and when due. Then what is holding the salaries?”

When contacted on the telephone, the Transition Committee Chairman, Kelechi Ezechukwu, said he would call our correspondent back but never did.

In his reaction, the state Commissioner for Information, John Kalu, said, “The report we have received from the local government chairman is that he was going to pay them one month salary, meaning that they are being owed only three months.”

• 

The Central bank of Nigeria, CBN, has been ordered by a Federal high court to pay the sum of eight billion naira (N8bn), to some Tiv communities in Ukum, Logo, Kwande and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State for the loss of lives and properties the communities suffered during the invasions by soldiers of the Nigerian Army in 2001.

According to Punch, Justice Nyang Ekwo gave the order following the garnishee application by the communities. He ruled, “The garnishee (CBN) is hereby ordered to pay the garnishee sum into an interest-yielding account to be opened and maintained by the Chief Registrar of this court in First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

“The order authorising the disbursement of the money shall be made upon being satisfied with the terms of disbursement including the legal fees jointly singed by Ocha Ulegede, Esq, and J.K Gadzama, SAN, for the ganishors and endorsed by first-class chiefs of Jukun, Logo, Kwande, Katsina-Ala local government areas on behalf of the Tiv Traditional Council.”

Details later